This invention relates to a novel and improved machine tool, and more particularly to a novel machine tool of the type comprising a plurality of exchangeable machine members which are settable one by one alternatively to a set position at a working station for operation on a workpiece in accordance with sort and size of such workpiece, sort of processing to be applied to such workpiece, sizing of such processing and the like. The exchangeable machine members may be spindle heads each having single or multiple spindles and tool or tools connected to such spindle or spindles, workpiece supporting jigs each having workpiece clamping means or tool supporting heads each having tool supporting means such as boring bar support.
It is often required in manufacturing various machine components and parts such as cylinder blocks for vehicle engines that a workpiece is applied at various portions thereof by various processings such as drilling, tapping, boring and the like. It is also required in many machine manufacturing fields for the purpose of saving investment cost that various workpieces of different sorts and/or sizes are applied by various processings different in sort and/or sizing by using a common machine tool or a series of common machine tools. In many cases, such processings are carried out by employing so-called transfer machine in which working stations are provided intermittently along a transfer line and workpieces transferred along such transfer line are successively applied by successive processings at the working stations by means of machine tools arranged at one or both sides of such working stations.
In carrying out such processings, tools of different sorts and/or having different sizing of processing are, of course, used selectively in accordance with sort and size of workpiece, sort of processing to be applied, sizing of such processings. Consequently, when different processings are to be carried out by using common machine or machines, tool itself of such machine has to be exchanged in every different processings. Further, tool supporting means such as boring bar support and/or workpiece supporting jig may have to be exchanged.
As to tools of machine tool, there have been proposed many machine tools of the type in which tool storage magazine storing a plurality of tools is provided from which a required tool is selectively derived and set to a position operable on a workpiece by means of tool changing device. However, in cases when tools are individually exchanged, exchange of plural tools which are driven by plural spindles of a machine tool so as to apply plural processings to a workpiece or workpieces at a time is much time-consuming. As to jigs, there have merely been known storing and changing mechanisms of the type in which turret or similar movable carrier for jigs is provided at a level of working station and such turret or carrier is selectively driven to move so that a required jig is located to a position operable on a workpiece so as to support the same for processing. In such mechanisms, number of exchangeable jigs is limited so far as the turret or carrier of such low level is not one such that it requires too large floor space for equipment.
When a plurality of tools and/or jigs are to be provided in a machine tool so that they are settable alternatively to a set position at a working station for operation on a workpiece, there is necessarily a problem how tools and/or jigs as possibly large in number are included in such machine tool in a fashion such that floor space as possibly small in area is required for storing and exchanging such tools and/or jigs and such that quick exchanging of such tools and/or jigs is permited. Exchangeable tools and/or jigs large in number enlarges processings possibly carried out by such machine tool, and quick exchanging of such tools and/or jigs promotes efficiency of processing as a whole. Saving of required floor space makes it easy and optional to arrange accessories of such machine tool such as chip conveyor, coveyor for workpieces and the like. Such saving of floor space required for a plurality of exchangeable tools and/or jigs further shortens transfer line in a transfer machine.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine tool in which a plurality of exchangeable machine members are included in a fashion such that floor space required for storing and exchanging such exchangeable machine members is largely saved and such that such machine members are alternatively settable to a set position for operation on a workpiece in a time-saving manner.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine tool of the type comprising a plurality of exchangeable machine members in which such exchangeable machine members stored in the machine may further be exchanged selectively for another exchangeable machine members for enlarging processings possibly carried out by such machine with ease and in a timesaving manner.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine tool in which plural tools employed for plural processings at a time may be set to a set position operable on a workpiece or workpieces at a same time so that exchanging of a set of tools used at a time is quickly achieved.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine tool in which a plurality of exchangeable workpiece supporting jigs having workpiece clamping means are included with permitting a rapid exchange of such jigs in a fashion such that floor space required for such plural jigs is largely saved, whereby the machine permits without trouble to carry out different processings which require different jigs.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved machine tool in which a plurality of exchangeable spindle heads having spindles and tools connected thereto and a plurality of exchangeable workpiece supporting jigs are included in a fashion such that both of such spindle heads and jigs may be exchanged for different processings at a same time so that efficiency of processings is largely promoted as a whole.
A specific object of the present invention is to provide a novel machine tool in which a plurality of exchangeable workpiece supporting jigs are included in a floor saved fashion and in which workpiece supported by a jig having been set at a working station may be indexed for processing with ease and quickly together with such jig.
A further specific object of the present invention is to provide a machine tool of the type comprising a plurality of exchangeable machine members in which cares are taken for safety of the machine itself and of operators.